wfn.org | ACNS3406 Praying together for racial justice

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3406     |     UK	   |	 11 APRIL 2003

Praying together for racial justice

Sunday 14 September has been designated by the Churches in Britain and
Ireland as a national day of prayer for racial justice. While some fear that
the conflict in Iraq may lead to increased tension between communities here,
Churches are encouraged to take this chance to celebrate human diversity as
something desirable and willed by God instead of something to be feared and
hated.
The Churches' Commission for Racial Justice (a Commission of Churches
Together in Britain and Ireland) has produced worship resources to enable
Churches to celebrate cultural and ethnic diversity and to commit themselves
to prayer and action for racial justice.

The pack encourages worship leaders to look behind the headlines. For
instance, recently published figures show that:

The number of black men imprisoned in England and Wales has doubled since
1997

Black people are more likely to be stopped and searched than white people
are, more likely to be jailed, and when jailed are more likely to receive
long sentences

Minority ethnic communities make up nine per cent of the population of
Britain but twenty one per cent of prisoners

Secretary for CCRJ, the Revd Arlington Trotman said, 'As people of faith,
the defeat of racism is the business of us all. For it is only through the
active participation of the many that justice is done and true liberation of
those that are oppressed is secured. It is vital that people understand the
impact of racism, for instance, the tone of the public debate about asylum
seems to have led to an increase in racist attacks. Several asylum seekers
have been murdered, but members of settled minority ethnic communities also
report greater levels of prejudice. Many fear that the War on Terrorism,
including the conflict in Iraq, is further fracturing British society and
leading to suspicion and resentment against minority communities.'

__________________________________
For details about the Enthronement of the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Most Revd Rowan D Williams, visit http://www.anglicancommunion.org/

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